Lincoln Product Plan: Hits, no Halo Vehicles

[mackinaw]

From today's Automotive News:

 

 

"That means no halo cars and no low-volume flagship cars -- think Audi A8 -- that cost hundreds of millions to develop but sell fewer than 10,000 units a year.

 

Instead, Lincoln will offer a limited lineup focused solely on the highest-volume luxury segments, Lincoln sources say.

 

It's a pragmatic strategy for the brand, which is struggling to reinvent itself for a new generation of younger customers.

 

The 2013 MKZ sedan -- with its optional retractable, panoramic sun roof, push-button transmission and horizontal spread-eagle chrome grille -- will be as close to a halo car as Lincoln will offer in the near future. But the MKZ, Lincoln hopes, won't be just some pretty showroom ornament; the brand needs to move them in decent numbers. The MKZ must play in the high-volume, entry-luxury sedan segment.

 

In another year or so, Lincoln will enter the hot entry-luxury crossover wars with a vehicle tentatively called the MKC, which shares its architecture with the Ford Escape. Redesigns of the MKX, MKT, MKS and the Navigator will follow.

 

Lincoln's strategy might be dubbed "Walk before you run."

 

 

It's "free" viewing week at Auto News, so all should be able to read the article, which is here:

 

 

http://www.autonews....-hits-not-halos

[silvrsvt]

So don't expect a Lincoln Explorer anytime soon...unless the MKT is going to get rebranded as that.

[akirby]

Strange that no source is given or even hinted at and no more information provided than what we've seen here months ago.

 

I have no doubt that we won't see any "halo" cars right away because it's not financially responsible at this point. But I'm not sure that the proposed lineup is accurate either.

[silvrsvt]

But I'm not sure that the proposed lineup is accurate either.

 

Given the pricing on the MKZ, if Ford can do AWD with the Focus (assuming it can, since with the Escape), it would be quite interesting see an AWD (only) Lincoln Focus that starts at 32K or so.

[PREMiERdrum]

The Aviator project is very much alive... Although I'm curious as to if it may wear the "Navigator" badge now? Last word from inside the glass house was that Navigator's future was "under review."

[NickF1011]

The Aviator project is very much alive... Although I'm curious as to if it may wear the "Navigator" badge now? Last word from inside the glass house was that Navigator's future was "under review."

 

As long as there is an Expedition, I would hope there is also a Navigator based on it. However, Expedition's future could very well be up in the air at this point too, so....

[PREMiERdrum]

As long as there is an Expedition, I would hope there is also a Navigator based on it. However, Expedition's future could very well be up in the air at this point too, so....

 

Last I've heard was that a next-gen Expedition was a go, aligning more closely with the F-150 this time around.

 

Pure speculation...

The reunion of Expedition and F-150 could have caused problems trying to develop an Expedition-based Navigator whilst meeting the current Lincoln brand targets and directives.

 

Either that, or the author wasn't given any info on the Aviator reboot because it hasn't been announced yet.

[wildosvt]

Last I've heard was that a next-gen Expedition was a go, aligning more closely with the F-150 this time around.

 

Pure speculation...

The reunion of Expedition and F-150 could have caused problems trying to develop an Expedition-based Navigator whilst meeting the current Lincoln brand targets and directives.

 

Either that, or the author wasn't given any info on the Aviator reboot because it hasn't been announced yet.

 

It sure is a go. Not 100% on the Navi at all. But Expe is due out in 2015

[Edstock]

"In another year or so, Lincoln will enter the hot entry-luxury crossover wars with a vehicle tentatively called the MKC, which shares its architecture with the Ford Escape. Redesigns of the MKX, MKT, MKS and the Navigator will follow."

 

The next MK X is almost 2 years away? Not good.

[jpd80]

Next gen Taurus and MKS is around three years away.

[RichardJensen]

Re: Navi

 

Would not be at all surprised if 90+% of Navi volume ends up in a Platinum model Expedition, which would make that product more sustainable (by adding a very profitable top end model that uses 100% of the tooling of the base model). Navi would then go to D-series architecture.

[timf]

"In another year or so, Lincoln will enter the hot entry-luxury crossover wars with a vehicle tentatively called the MKC, which shares its architecture with the Ford Escape. Redesigns of the MKX, MKT, MKS and the Navigator will follow."

 

The next MK X is almost 2 years away? Not good.

The MKX and Edge redesigns are due in 2014 as 2015 models.

[jpd80]

People also need to remember the budget for delivering the seven proposed vehicles was $1 billion,

so at best, that's around $140 million per vehicle, enough for a dedicated top hat / trim / engines

but not enough for dedicated RWD platform, I can see Ford going with new MKZ and MKS but the

rest will probably be SUVs and crossovers like MKC, MKX, Aviator, Navigator, and for liveries, MKT,

[ANTAUS]

Sadly it doesn't look like Ford will have a vehicle I'm interested in buying to replace my LS, uurrggg I'm going to have to go to Jaguar, I'm going to see if my Lincoln dealership can service an XF with the basic stuff.

 

So if the MKZ is about all we will have, and MKC/MKD, then I guess Lincoln will just be a "premium brand" like Volvo and Buick?

[aneekr]

From today's Automotive News:

...It's a pragmatic strategy for the brand, which is struggling to reinvent itself for a new generation of younger customers.

 

That would be an understatement. If Ford wants to introduce the Lincoln brand to the luxury car market or even make it "premium" like Volvo and Buick, will pragmatism be enough?

Edited August 13, 2012 by aneekr

[NLPRacing]

The Aviator project is very much alive... Although I'm curious as to if it may wear the "Navigator" badge now? Last word from inside the glass house was that Navigator's future was "under review."

 

Last I've heard was that a next-gen Expedition was a go, aligning more closely with the F-150 this time around.

 

Pure speculation...

The reunion of Expedition and F-150 could have caused problems trying to develop an Expedition-based Navigator whilst meeting the current Lincoln brand targets and directives.

 

Either that, or the author wasn't given any info on the Aviator reboot because it hasn't been announced yet.

 

Lincoln dropping the Expedition based Navigator would make sense as it doesn't sell in very high numbers anyway and fully loaded Expeditions EL's already can hit $50K pretty easily. Could an "All New" MKT be based on the Explorer while the current MKT simply becomes known as the "Town Car"?

[papilgee4evaeva]

Lincoln dropping the Expedition based Navigator would make sense as it doesn't sell in very high numbers anyway and fully loaded Expeditions EL's already can hit $50K pretty easily.

 

Hey, if Toyota can get away with selling both the Land Cruiser (at $78K) and the LX570 (only $2K more), both of which share one bespoke platform, I don't think Ford would stand to lose much on a Navigator that shares bones with an Expedition that shares bones with the F150.

 

Not to mention that the Toyota twins only barely outsold the Navigator alone last month (565 to 525).

[BORG]

Meh, none of the future product info from Automotive News is accurate, just speculative.

 

And everybody knows Lincoln is taking a very conservative and budgeted approach to it's future, no big spectacles to see here. They either make progress, or they don't.

 

As for the Navigator, Lincoln has spoken very tentatively about it, saying that it has a place in the Lincoln portfolio. But they said that about Mercury. I'm sure Lincoln is probably waiting on the final Expedition before deciding if they want to dress one up for themselves. With every other luxury marker offering an Escalade equivalent, and with Lincoln the originator of the segment, it seem hard to believe Lincoln wouldn't offer a Navigator if Ford has new one to work with. Lincoln is not high luxury, they use Ford hardware so they are not too good for the Expedition.

Edited August 13, 2012 by BORG

[AGR]

No halo vehicles? If that is accurate, I guess that means no Mustang based Mark.

[theoldwizard]

No halo vehicles? If that is accurate, I guess that means no Mustang based Mark.

WOW ! I never even heard that rumor !!

[bzcat]

Hey, if Toyota can get away with selling both the Land Cruiser (at $78K) and the LX570 (only $2K more), both of which share one bespoke platform, I don't think Ford would stand to lose much on a Navigator that shares bones with an Expedition that shares bones with the F150.

 

Not to mention that the Toyota twins only barely outsold the Navigator alone last month (565 to 525).

 

Yea but Toyota sells a lot more Landcrusiers in other country to pay for all the development. Ford has not such option with Navigator. It has to justify the cost of an unique body/interior on North America sales alone... and 525 sales a month is probably not going to cut it.

[NLPRacing]

 

 

Hey, if Toyota can get away with selling both the Land Cruiser (at $78K) and the LX570 (only $2K more), both of which share one bespoke platform, I don't think Ford would stand to lose much on a Navigator that shares bones with an Expedition that shares bones with the F150.

 

Not to mention that the Toyota twins only barely outsold the Navigator alone last month (565 to 525).

 

The Navigator doesn't sell for $80K nor does it compete with the LX570. Now that Ford no longer owns Land Rover, they could come out with their own ultra luxury off roader like the Range Rover and sell it as a Lincoln for $80K and sell a Ford version for $2K less, but I doubt that would ever happen and probably would be hard to make a business case for it.

[theoldwizard]

Re: Navi

 

Would not be at all surprised if 90+% of Navi volume ends up in a Platinum model Expedition, which would make that product more sustainable (by adding a very profitable top end model that uses 100% of the tooling of the base model). Navi would then go to D-series architecture.

Your speculations are logical. Of course, that means they are not likely to happen :lol: Of course this means that the Aviator would be name Navigator.

 

 

I see lots of Escalades on the streets, but very few Navigators.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Yea but Toyota sells a lot more Landcrusiers in other country to pay for all the development. Ford has not such option with Navigator. It has to justify the cost of an unique body/interior on North America sales alone... and 525 sales a month is probably not going to cut it.

 

I'll grant you the interior, but the body doesn't have to be that different from the Expy. It's not that far off now. Also, of course sales in this segment have dropped due to higher gas prices in the past 4+ years, but I think we can all agree that the lack of any kind of refresh has also put a damper on things.

 

(Also, FWIW, the only discernible difference between the Land Cruiser and the LX is the badge.)

 

The Navigator doesn't sell for $80K nor does it compete with the LX570. Now that Ford no longer owns Land Rover, they could come out with their own ultra luxury off roader like the Range Rover and sell it as a Lincoln for $80K and sell a Ford version for $2K less, but I doubt that would ever happen and probably would be hard to make a business case for it.

 

Not saying they have to price it that high. I was going off the point you made that a fully-loaded Expy EL can top $50K. What I was getting that is that the top end of the Expy (about $57K, fully loaded EL King Ranch 4x4) doesn't automatically mean that there's no room for a Nav.

[GT-Keith]

Good. Lincoln needs to focus on making cars that ordinary people like me can conceivably afford. Lincoln is not Cadillac, one who can shamelessly pander to a crowd that is unwilling to give them a chance, instead of making their own mark in the industry. Go Ford!